AUTHOR COMMENTS:

I guess the only thing worse than seasonal temp work is involuntary seasonal temp work...

It's tough for Marie, because of the cast she's the only one without a direct, identifiable best friend. Everybody else has at least one very best friend, but while Marie is "close" with some of them, she's had trouble making a really deep, authentic, mutual friendship with any of the rest of the main cast. And it's something she's been aware of for some time, but as she's getting older- and especially now that everyone's going their separate ways- it's weighing on her in a way it never did before.

READER'S DISCUSSION:

I love panel one, she's so frustrated and sassy there, with a perfect mocking expression! THE GOATS DON'T RELATE

And I was that kid. Part of it was definitely my own awkwardness, part of it was moving at 11 but it was like everyone I met already had a best friend and I was the "reserve friend". I think it gets better towards mid-twenties but I never quite figured out why exactly.

Did... Marie... actually give her address to anyone outside the family?? >_> OR MAYBE THERE'S A CORRUPT POSTMAN WHO STEALS MAIL AND ROLLS AROUND IN IT NAKED ahem

Looking back I knew a lot of people like that growing up, I think it might be more normal than it seems, like some people have one best friend that they stay best friends with for years or deades, but there's also people who kind of wind up floating from being close to one person and another. I think in many people's cases it's a matter of independence or just personal preference, but for Marie, so much of her persona is like, bluff and bluster and I think people pick up on that- it's hard to get really close to someone who isn't being 100% authentic to themself, you know?

LOL LOL BAD BAD POSTMAN PAT SEQUEL XD XD I picture Marie casually dropping the "My family is making me go to my Aunt's farm" convo nugget and everyone just kind of nodding it off like "Yeah okay Marie that sounds nice, keep us posted on that etc." Though yeah, she definitely hasn't written home to anyone, and is playing kind of a spiteful game with herself of "Well, let's see who cares most or at all!" and angrily wondering why no one has reached out... :( :( :(